The present invention relates to a remote control system handling transmission data of a remote control transmitter for remote controlling various kinds of electronic apparatuses by using an infrared ray.
Various kinds of electronic apparatuses having high performance and diversification have been developed and remote control transmitters used in these apparatuses providing with various functions have appeared in the market. Particularly, a remote control transmitter which stores data of a plurality of remote control transmitters and can control a plurality of electronic apparatuses such as a television receiver and a video deck manufactured by the same manufacturer by a single remote control transmitter has been popularly used.
Such a remote control transmitter which can remote control a plurality of electronic apparatuses of the same manufacture, a television receiver and a video deck having a built-in tuner, for example, provides with a tv/video selection switch as well as operation keys having common operation functions such as power on/off and channel selection, and is made to generate an infrared signal for remote controlling either apparatus by operating the tv/video selection switch depending on the case of operating a television receiver or a video deck.
Such a remote control transmitter of the prior art is explained below, referring to FIG. 6.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the main part of a remote control transmitter used in a remote control system of the prior art. In FIG. 6, block 101 is a plurality of operation keys such as for power on/off and channel selection. Block 102 is a microcomputer for storing various kinds of remote control transmission data for remote controlling a television receiver and a video deck of the same manufacturer in a built-in memory device, and outputting the data. Reference number 103 is an LED (light-emitting diode) for converting an electric signal output from microcomputer 102 into an infrared signal, and transmitting the infrared signal. A driver transistor 104 and a current limiting resistor 105 are connected with LED 103 in series.
Remote control transmitter 107 is composed by microcomputer 102 connected with tv/video selection switch 106 for selecting data supplied by microcomputer 102 for remote control transmission according to which is desired to remote control, a television receiver or a video deck.
A function of remote control transmitter 107 composed like the above is explained below.
In the case of remote controlling a television receiver, one of operation keys 101 is pressed after switching tv/video selection switch 106 to a television side. Microcomputer 102 works and generates remote control data stored in a built-in memory device and outputs an electric signal corresponding to the pressed key among operation keys 101.
The electric signal output from microcomputer 102 is applied to driver transistor 104, amplified there and drives LED 103. A current corresponding to the electric signal flows through current limiting resistor 105 and LED 103, LED 103 flashes and an infrared signal is transmitted. Thus, the television receiver is remote controlled by remote control transmitter 107.
In the case of remote controlling a video deck, the video deck is similarly remote controlled by switching tv/video selection switch 106 to a video deck side, using remote control transmission data stored in a memory device built in microcomputer 102 and for remote controlling a video deck.
As described above, a common use type remote control transmitter of the prior art is structured to remote control a television receiver and a video deck of the same manufacturer, by switching tv/video deck selection switch 106 of the remote control transmitter.
However, because the remote control transmission data stored in the memory device built in microcomputer 102 of the conventional common use type remote control transmitter can be used for the electronic apparatuses only from the same manufacturer, when the electronic apparatus such as a television receiver or a video deck is replaced by that of the other manufacturer or an electronic apparatus such as an audio apparatus is newly purchased (installed), the remote control transmission data do not generally coincide between the conventional remote control transmitter and the newly replaced or purchased apparatus. Accordingly, there exists such a problem that the conventional remote control-transmitter does work for the new apparatus.
There is a learning type remote control transmitter which can remote control even an apparatus which is manufactured by a different manufacturer or a newly installed electronic apparatus by transmitting and receiving an infrared signal between the electronic apparatuses. In this case, because such a learning-type remote control needs to be provided with a light receiving part for receiving an infrared signal from the electronic apparatus, an analysis circuit and microcomputer and the like to process the received infrared signal as an electric signal in the remote control transmitter, there is a problem that the remote control transmitter has a complicated structure and, thus, becomes expensive. An exemplary learning type remote control transmitter is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,887 to Welles. As set forth at col. 4, line 14, et seq.:
. . . The transmitter is to be emulated is placed so that its transmitter infrared light emitting diode (LED) is adjacent the photoelectric receiver In the reconfigurable remote control unit. . . . The user is then prompted . . . to press a key on the reconfigurable remote control transmitter and a corresponding key on the transmitter to be emulated so that the transmitted code can be received and encoded.
In this manner, a reconfigurable remote control unit is programmed.
The present invention eliminates such problems of the prior art and aims to offer an inexpensive remote control system which can easily program remote control transmission data for an electronic apparatus of a different manufacturer or for a different kind of electronic apparatus in a designated remote control transmitter, and can remote control a plurality of electronic apparatuses in addition to the electronic apparatuses which the user has so far.
To eliminate the above problems, the present invention offers a remote control system providing a remote control signal analysis/output unit having a first electromagnetic induction means for receiving, at a light receiving part, an infrared signal from an exclusive use type remote control transmitter belonging to an electronic apparatus which the user wants to remote control by a new remote control system at a light receiving part, processing the signal at an analysis circuit, converting into data for remote control transmission and outputting it into a magnetic signal; and a common use type remote control transmitter having a second electromagnetic induction means for converting the magnetic signal output from the first electromagnetic induction means into an electric signal and a nonvolatile memory device converting the electric signal into a remote control transmission signal, storing and processing.
Thus, an inexpensive remote control system is obtained remote control transmission data for an electronic apparatus of a different manufacturer or a different kind can be easily programmed in a designated remote control transmitter and a plurality of electronic apparatuses can be remotely controlled.